East Melbourne, Hotham Street 170

"This house dates from about 1865 when it was initially occupied by Charles Umphelby, a wine merchant of 60 Collins Street. For the intervening years the house and its pair (168 Hotham Street) were occupied by a variety of owners until after a short period as let accomodation it was sold, still with its original character undisturbed, but in need of extensive maintenance. The current owners purchased the house in 1968 and commenced alterations in 1970. The front section of the terrace was maintained and restored with minor alterations made to form the openings to the living and dining room. Details of the cast iron to the balconies at the front are described in E. Graeme Robertson's book "Ornamental Cast Iron in Melbourne". At the rear of the house considerable rebuilding has taken place with the removal of the laundry and external toilet and the construction of a family room/kitchen and children's bedroom facing the back garden. Prior to this work the rear of the house was identical to that existing next door at 168 Hotham Street. All service areas such as bathrooms on the upper level and laundry/W.C. on the ground floor are retained in a central core, lit and ventilated from a completely enclosed and landscaped courtyard. The alterations use a limited number of traditional materials and include bagged and painted brickwork for all walls, hawthorn brick floors, and pine boarding to upper floor and ceilings. Behind several layers of plaster and wall board a bluestone party wall was discovered and retained as a link between the old and the new."